hospital volunteering insufficient?

[Hackintosh]

I have been inquiring to several schools for feedback on my app and the school(s) that have been gracious enough to respond are generally saying that I lack significant clinical experience. I have about 3 years of moderate (1-2hours/wk) of typical hospital volunteering (things like mealtime assistance, games, tutoring etc.). I had thought this would be considered significant clinical experience but apparently American schools don't put much weight behind these activities. So to the people who were accepted in the past years: What are some activities that count as significant clinical experience? What are some of your clinical activities if you don't mind sharing? I think many applicants (not just me) could benefit greatly from this information.

[bpatient]

Yes, I would like to know more about this too

[VTeight7]

I have about 3 years of moderate (1-2hours/wk) of typical hospital volunteering (things like mealtime assistance, games, tutoring etc.). I had thought this would be considered significant clinical experience but apparently American schools don't put much weight behind these activities.

 

They do put some weight behind these activities, but 1-2 hours/wk is quite light IMO. I did 3h/week volunteering in ER for a few years and I was asked once about that in interviews, I think.

 

However, both my interviews seemed to focus more on my one summer of working at an oncology summer camp. They seemed to think it was a clinical experience, even though I didn't deal specifically with the cancer aspect of the kids (I was more like a typical camp counsellor, but it so happened to be that most our kids had cancer or used to have it).

 

So ya - if possible, try to do more than the hospital volunteering, as that can be a bit limited. Unless maybe you become like, the volunteer team lead of ER or something - that would show leadership in a clinical env. Of course I can't really talk - I haven't been accepted as of yet

 

Btw hackintosh - still on the wayne waitlist?

[Rach]

I agree with VTeight7. I think the 1-2 hours a week might have been too little since it seems that 3-4hrs/week is what people aim for. Also, I think what adcom want to see is that you've worked closely with patients and/or have seen what physicians do day to day. I would recommend getting some shadowing in there, even though it can be tricky to do in Canada.

 

IMO "significant" clinical experience involves lots of patient contact, and not simply doing menial work at a hospital. I think it's worth it for applicants to look around at several local hospitals to find a position that gives this patient contact.

[The Law]

I know that this is going to be an issue for me. I don't have very many "clinical" experiences. I have 2 years volunteering at a senior home where I worked with people who have a variety of illnesses, from alzheimers, to people who've suffered strokes or have depression. I also volunteered in an emergency room for one summer too. My research, however, is highly clinical and I work regularly with pathologists (learn to examine slides for thyroid cancer, and how to distinguish different types of thyroid cancer), pathology assistants, as well as explaining to patients what our research is about when I try to get their consent to obtain tissue donations from them. Hopefully this is regarded as clinical experience too...

[Hackintosh]

Thanks Vteight and Rach. I'll be trying to get more experience this coming year if not accepted of the Wayne waitlist.

[emcd]

i had almost none (one month in a hospital) but i had lots of other volunteering...who knows?